Carton having a hinged end closure

ABSTRACT

A rectangular carton having a hinged top closure connected to the body portion by weakened lines along the upper edges of the front and end wall panels and adapted to be opened by tearing along the weakened lines, the carton having provision for automatically locking the hinged top closure to the body portion upon reclosing the same whereby to prevent inadvertent opening thereof.

United States Patent Scully 1 Feb. 15, 1972 CARTON HAVING AHINGED END CLOSURE John W. Scully, Raynham, Mass.

[72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Quincy,

Mass.

[22] Filed: July 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,906

(52] U.S. Cl. ..229/5l TC, 229/45 l 5| Int. Cl ..B65d 5/54 [58] Field of Search ..229/51 TC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,282,492 1 H1966 Vergobbi "229/51 TC 3,523,636 8/1970 Phillips ..229/51 TC Primary ExaminerDonald F. Norton Attorney-Robert R. Churchill [5 7] ABSTRACT A rectangular carton having a hinged top closure connected to the body portion by weakened lines along the upper edges of the front and end wall panels and adapted to be opened by tearing along the weakened lines, the carton having provision for automatically locking the hinged top closure to the body portion upon reclosing the same whereby to prevent inadvertent opening thereof.

6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEB 15 1912 SHEET 1 OF 6 INVENTOR John W. Saul/y f (flan- 1 e A TTORNEY PATENIEBFEB 15 I972 SHEET 2 OF 6 psz INVENTOR John. W. Scu/ly mqmdwm ATTORNEY PATENTEBFEB 15 I972 SHEET. 3 or 6 v uvvavrm hn W. Soul/y m 1? Q1 0M ATTORNEY PATENTEBFEB 15 I972 3,642,194

sum u or 6 I/VVE/VZOR John W. Scu'l/y mu-whom ATTORNEY CARTON HAVING A IIINGED END CLOSURE This invention relates to a carton and particularly to a carton having a hinged and reclosable top closure.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved carton having a novel top closure providing a hinged cover which may be easily opened and reclosed and which is characterized by novel means for automatically locking the hinged closure to the body portion of the carton upon reclosing the same.

The invention has a further object to provide a novel and improved carton of the character specified whose structure is such as to enable it to be efficiently and economically produced on a standard high speed packaging machine, and which uses a minimum of carton material whereby the carton may be economically manufactured.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the carton having a hinged end closure as hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the upper portion of the blank showing the initial folding operation to provide a two-ply band;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the carton folded into rectangular form and showing the top fiaps extended;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 showing the top closure completed;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6; I

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hinged top closure shown in its opened position;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the carton showing the same reclosed;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the upper portion of a carton blank showing a modified form of the invention;

FIG. I1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line llll of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view of the upper portion of the blank showing the initial folding operation;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line l3-l3 ofFlG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the carton folded into rectangular form and showing the hinged closure in its initially opened position; and

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the carton showing the closure reclosed.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improved carton having a hinged top closure commonly known as a flip top" closure and which is characterized by novel means for positively locking the closure to the body portion automatically upon reclosing the carton. The present carton is an improvement over the carton having a hinged top closure as illustrated and described in the US. Pat. No. 3,282,492, issued to John G. Vergobbi, Nov. l, 1966, and assigned to the present assignee. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the top closure is formed by integral end closing portions which are folded and sealed to provide a hinged closure in the completed carton wherein the sides of the closure extend over and around three sides of the top of the body portion of the completed carton, the fourth side being hingedly connected thereto. The closure is secured in its initially closed position by partially slit or weakened lines along three of the top closure score lines of the body of the carton and which may be easily broken by the user to open the carton, the closure being joined to the fourth score line to provide the hinge.

The construction of the present carton is such that it may be economically produced in a standard high-speed carton-forming machine. It will also be noted that the present hinged closure may be produced from integral end closure portions using no more material than would be used in producing a normal full flap conventional end closure whereby to enable low cost production of the carton.

Referring now to the drawings, the carton blank indicated generally at 10 in FIG. I is provided with end wall panels I2, 14 and side wall panels 16, 18 forming the body portion of the carton and which are defined by prescored lines 20, 22, 24, 26, a side seam flap 28 being connected to the side wall panel 18 as shown. The sidewall panel 16 is also referred to herein as the front panel.

The illustrated carton blank is provided with bottom closing flaps comprising end fiaps 30, 32 connected to end wall panels 12, 14, respectively, by prescored lines 34, 36 and side flaps 38, 40 connected to the sidewall panels 16, 18, respectively, by prescored lines 42, 44.

The top closing portions of the illustrated carton blank include an integral three-section portion, indicated generally at 46, connected to the body panels 12, I6 and 14, which portion is adapted to be folded to form the three sides of the hinged closure or cover fitted about the upper end of the body portion. The top closure further includes a side flap 48 hingedly connected to the side wall panel 18 by a prescored line 50 and which comprises the last folded flap to form the top of the hinged cover in the completed carton.

As herein shown, the three-section cover forming portion 46 comprises integral sections 52, 54 and 56 extending from the body panels l2, l6 and 14, respectively, and connected together by prescored lines 57, 59. The cover-forming portion 46 is connected to the body panels along the top score line 58 which is provided with weakened portions, herein shown as comprising elongated spaced slits cut through the material, leaving relatively small frangible connecting portions between the body panels and the integral cover-forming portion 46. As illustrated herein, the weakened line between the end wall panel 12 and the section 52 comprises spaced slits 60, leaving relatively small unslit connecting portions 62. The weakened line between the panel 16 and the section 54 also comprises spaced slits, leaving relatively small unslit portions 70.

Likewise, the weakened line between the end wall panel 14 and the section 56 is also provided with spaced slit portions, leaving small unslit portions as shown. The intermediate section 54 is provided with cutout areas, designated in their entirety by the numerals 72, 74, and which are partly defined by cut lines extending from points 63, 65 at each end of the intermediate portion inwardly to points 66, 67, thus leaving only a medial portion 76 between the points 66, 67 which is connected by weakened lines to the front body panel 16. The cutout areas 72, 74 also defined rounded tab portions 68 designed for cooperation with slit openings 78 formed in the front panel 16 as will be hereinafter more fully described. The adjacent sections 52, 56 are provided with V-shaped cutout portions 96, 98 which form a continuation of the cutout areas 72, 74.

The integral closure forming portion 46 is also provided with two spaced transverse score lines 82, 84 providing elongated transverse sections indicated at 86, 88 of equal width adapted to be folded one upon the other to form two-ply sidewalls which extend about three sides of the top of the body portion in the assembled carton, leaving relatively short flaps 90, 92, 94 extending from the sidewalls. As shown in FIG. I, the transverse section 86 is provided with the V-shaped cutout portions 96, 98 formed in the sections 52, 56, the cutout portions 96, 98 serving to relieve the tension at the corners of the assembled carton. As herein shown, the adjacent corners of the short flaps 90, 92, 94 are cut off at 45 as indicated at 100, and the ends of the transverse sections 86, 88 are also provided with V-shaped cutouts as indicated at 102.

While the carton blank is still in its developed form, as shown in FIG. I, selected areas of the inner face of the blank are provided with a coating of adhesive. Thus, a narrow strip of adhesive 104 is applied to the marginal areas of the end wall panel 12 for sealing the same to the side seam flap 28 in the formation of the carton. The bottom closure flap 38 is provided with rectangular areas 106 of adhesive, and the bottom closure flap 40 is also provided with an adhesively coated U- shaped area 108 as shown. The transverse section 86 of the cover-forming portion 46 is provided with adhesively coated areas 1 10, l 12, 114 for sealing the same to the transverse section 88 to form the two-ply band or sidewall about three sides of the closure in the assembled carton. The side flap 48 is also provided with an adhesively coated area 116 along the marginal portions thereof as illustrated. The adhesively coated area 112 disposed on the intermediate portion of the transverse section 86 occupies a central area only thereof, the adjacent areas containing the cutout portions 72, 74.

In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the cutout portions 72, 74 define the spaced, generally triangular tabs 68, rounded at their engaging ends, and which are adapted to cooperate with the spaced triangular slits 78 formed in the front panel 16 in the assembled carton whereby to effect automatic locking of the closure to the body of the carton. The triangular slits 78 are rounded at their upper ends, as shown in FIG. 1, and the interior portions of the slit are hingedly connected to the front panel 16 by score lines 64. The score lines 64 may be formed in the usual manner by ruling or depressing the material along the bend lines without cutting, or the lines may be formed by cutting part way into the material to facilitate bending thereof. The cutout areas 72, 74 defining the tabs 68 and the bendable triangular slit portions 78 are formed in the blank prior to assembly. More specifically, the cutout area 72 on one side is defined by a out line extending from a point 66 to a point 63 and a short distance beyond to a point 117 in section 52, then angularly outward and inward, respectively, at 45 to form a V in section 52, then inwardly a short distance to a point 119 along score line 82 in section 54, and then angularly downward at 45 to the curved end of the tab 68. The curved end extends to a point 120 where the cut line extends inwardly to a point 122, and then downwardly at an angle to the starting point 66. It will be' apparent that the cutout area 74 on the other side is similarly defined. Thus, each side of the transverse section 86v has a tab portion 68 spaced inwardly a short distance from the sides of the front panel 16 and the front panel has a triangular slit portion 78 spaced inwardly from each side of the panel the same distance as the tabs so that in the assembled carton, the tabs 68 coincide substantially with the slits 78 with the curved ends of the tabs 68 arranged a short distance below the similarly curved portions of the slits. Each slit portion 78 is defined by a cut line extending from one end of its score line 64 upwardly at 45 to the curved end portion of the slit and then downwardly at 45 to the other end of its score line 64. In practice, when the slit portion is cut and the hinge line 64 is scored, the hinged portion may be prestressed inwardly slightly so as to provide clearance for the tab portions 68 to enter to effect locking of the cover to the front panel. Furthermore, the tab portions themselves which extend from the folded score line 82 have a tendency to rock inwardly into engagement with the slit portion by virtue of the resiliency of the material along the score line 82.

In the assembly of the carton, the closure forming portion 46 is first folded to provide the two-ply sidewall portion or band 118. As shown in FIG. 3, the three-section portion 46 is folded downwardly along the weakened score line 58 to present the same against the outer face of the front panel 16 with the section 86 in nonadhesive engagement with the upper end of the panel 16. The portion 46 is then folded upwardly along the score line 82 to present the section 88 against the adhesively coated areas 110, 112, 114 of the section 86. Application of pressure will seal the sections together to provide the two-ply portion 118. As thus folded, it will be seen that the spaced tab portions 68 are formed in the inner ply of the twoply section for cooperation with the spaced slits 78 formed in the upper end of the front panel 16, the outer ply being adhesively secured to the inner ply except for those areas adjacent the tab portions 68.

The carton blank as thus folded is then assembled into tubular form, as shown in FIG. 5, preferably by folding the same about a forming block to present the adhesively coated area 104 in overlapping engagement with the side seam flap 28 and applying pressure to seal the seam. This folding operation also folds the two-ply portion 118 to form in effect an unsealed band about three sides of the upper end of the body portion. The inner face of the two-ply band is free of adhesive, and the tabs 68 extending from the inner ply overlie the slits 78 in the front panel 16. The open portions 96, 98 occurring at the corners relieve any undue strain or tension when folding the twoply section about the corners.

In practice, the bottom closing flaps are then folded in overlapping relation and pressed against the end of the forming block in the usual manner. The end flaps 30, 32 are first folded inwardly, and the side flap 38 is then folded over the end flaps to present rectangular adhesive coated areas 106 against portions of the end flaps. The last folded flap 40 is then folded to present the adhesively coated portion 108 against the remaining portions of the end flaps and also in overlapping relation to the side flap 38 as shown. Pressure may then be applied to set the adhesive and complete the bottom closure. It will be understood that the bottom closure herein shown comprises what is known in the trade as an economy bottom closure wherein the closing flaps are shorter than the thickness of the carton and wherein the side flaps overlap along the center of the carton, as distinguished from a conventional bottom closure wherein both side flaps are of a full length equal to the thickness or narrower width of the carton. The carton with its adhesively secured bottom closure is then removed from the forming block and filled with the material being packaged.

After the filling operation, the top closure is completed in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and'6, wherein the short flaps 90, 92, 94 are first folded inwardly and thereafter the hinged and adhesively coated side flap 48 is folded down on top of the short flaps and adhesively secured thereto to produce the fliptop carton shown in FIG. 6. It will be seen that the expedient of cutting off the adjacent corners of the flaps 90, 92, 94 presents the latter in a single plane free of any overlapping portions, thus providing less bulk and forming a more efficient seal.

From the above description, it will be seen that in the completed carton the top closure is hingedly secured along the score line 50, and the two-ply band 118 of the closure extending around three sides of the top of the body portion is connect'ed to the body portion by the relatively small unslit portions 62, 70, of the score line 58 which comprise the frangible portions between the spaced slits. As shown, the tab portions 68 formed in the transverse section 86 are free of adhesive connection to the section 88 and thus have a tendency to unfold along the score line 82, thus resiliently rocking the tab portions 68 against the bendable portions adjacent the slit area 78. Furthermore, when forming the slits 78, the bendable portions within the slits are preset inwardly a short distance. Thus, in operation, when initially opening the carton, it is merely necessary to pull the front edge of the cover outwardly slightly and then upwardly with sufficient force to break the frangible connections, whereupon the closure will swing back on its hinge score line 50, as shown in FIG. 8, wherein the broken-away portions are indicated along the upper edges of the end wall panels 12 and 14 and at the medial portion of the upper edge of the front wall panel 16. The hinged top closure may now be conveniently closed to its initial position, whereupon the tab portions 68 will automatically flex inwardly into engagement with the slit portions 78 whereby to positively hold the cover in its closed position. In order to again open the carton, it is merely necessary to pull the front of the band outwardly slightly to disengage the tabs 67 from the slit portions 78 and then lift upwardly to rock the closure to its open position. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the V-shaped cutouts 102 in transverse sections 86, 88 when folded to form a two-ply band provides a 45 cutoff at the ends of the band to facilitate closing of the carton. The weakened portions, herein shown as spaced slits providing frangible portions therebetween, may take other forms capable of being separated upon application of a lifting force as described. In the illustrated structure of hinged end closure, the weakened portions along the score line 58 are entirely concealed in the assembled carton and are protected from inadvertent damage by the overfolded portions of the closures as shown.

As above described, the present hinged end closure carton may be economically produced in a standard automatic packaging machine wherein the prescored carton blank is folded about a forming block. While a preferred manner of assembling the carton, as herein described, contemplates folding of the bottom closure flaps against the end of the forming block and then removing the carton to be filled through the top, it will be understood that the present invention also contemplates forming the top closure against the end of the forming block. When thus formed, the carton is removed from the block and filled through the bottom, whereupon the bottom closure is folded and sealed, and the carton turned upright.

Referring now to FIGS. to 15, in a modified form of the invention, the carton may be similar in all respects to the car-' ton illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, except that the cutout areas 72a, 74a, which include the tab portions 68a and the stress-relieving cutouts 96, 98 in the transverse section 86, may also include triangular cutout portions 78a formed in the front panel 16. These cutout portions 78a take the place of the slit portions 78' and are arranged to cooperate with the tab portions 680 in a manner similar to that above described. Another variation resides in a relatively longer weakened line connecting portion 76a between the front panel 16 and the section 54. Thus, in the modified form shown in FIG. 10, the cutout area 720 may be defined by lines starting at a point 66a comprising one end of the medial weakened line portion 76, to a point 75, then angularly downward at 45 forming one side of the triangular opening in the front panel 16, then outwardly and upwardly at an angle of 45 to a point 77 to complete the triangular opening 78a, then to the point 67a and a short distance beyond to a point 117a in section 52, then angularly outwardly and inwardly at 45, respectively, to form a V in section 52, then inwardly a short distance to a point 1180 along score line 82 in section 54, then angularly downward at 45 to one end of a squared-off tab portion 68a, then upwardly at 45 from the other end of the squared-off tab portion to a point 122a and then inwardly and downwardly at right angles to the starting point 66a. The cutoff area 74a may be similarly defined.

In operation, the modified form of hinged closure is arranged to be opened and closed in the same manner as described in connection with the hinged closure shown in FIG. 8, that is, by applying outward and upward pressure to the front edge of the cover to break the frangible connections and swing the cover back on its hinges. In this embodiment of the invention, the tab portions 68a likewise are adapted to flex inwardly to engage in the triangular opening whereby to lock the cover in its reclosed position. When the cover is to be again opened, the front edge is pulled out slightly to disengage the tabs 68a from the triangular opening 78a and then lift the cover upwardly.

From the above description it will be seen that the present carton is provided with a hinged end closure of novel structure which may be economically produced with a minimum of carton material and which may be manufactured in a standard automatic packaging machine to produce an efficient selflocking and easily opened hinged closure.

While the two different embodiments of the closure-locking structure herein shown are of equal efficiency, the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, wherein the slit portions 78 are formed without removing any material from the front panel 16, has the advantage of providing a continuous and uninterrupted printing surface.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: l. A hinged reclosable top closure for a rectangular carton having a body portion closed at its lower end and comprising front and rear sidewall panels connected along their side edges to a pair of end wall panels, said hinged top closure being formed by integral extensions from the upper edges of said wall panels and including an integral three-section portion extending from said front and said end wall panels and connected to the upper edges thereof by weakened lines providing frangible connecting portions, said upper edges lying in a common plane, and said three-section portion being folded downwardly and upwardly to provide a two'ply band about the upper portion of said front and end wall panels, the inner ply of said two-ply band confronting the upper portion of the front wall panel being partially cut out to provide tabs adjacent both ends of said confronting ply, the upper portion of said front wall panel being provided with openings for cooperation with said tabs, there being relatively short, separate from and end flaps projecting upwardly from said two-ply band which are folded inwardly, and an inwardly folded flap hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall panel and adhesively secured to said relatively short, inwardly folded front and end flaps to provide a hinged cover connected to the upper edges of said front and end wall panels by said frangible connecting portions, said closure being initially opened by pulling the band outwardly and upwardly with sufficient force to rupture said frangible connecting portions, said tabs and said openings arranged to cooperate to effect automatic locking of the closure upon reclosing of the carton.

2. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim I wherein the tabs are generally rounded at their engaging ends and the cooperating openings are correspondingly slitted, said tabs adapted to flex inwardly under the slit edges upon reclosing of the carton.

3. A carton as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner faces of the two-ply band are adhesively secured together except that the areas defining the tabs are free of adhesive whereby to permit said flexing.

4. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim I wherein the tabs are generally rounded at their engaging ends and the cooperating openings are correspondingly slitted, said tabs adapted to flex inwardly under the slit edges upon reclosing of the carton, that portion of the front panel defined by said slitted openings having a scored bend line to permit in ward bending thereof whereby to facilitate inward flexing of said tabs under the slit edges.

5. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the partially cutout portions of the inner ply of said two-ply band further include integral cutouts to relieve the tension at the corners.

6. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs are squared off at their engaging ends and the openings comprise cutouts integral with the cutout portions defining the tabs. 

1. A hinged reclosable top closure for a rectangular carton having a body portion closed at its lower end and comprising front and rear sidewall panels connected along their side edges to a pair of end wall panels, said hinged top closure being formed by integral extensions from the upper edges of said wall panels and including an integral three-section portion extending from said front and said end wall panels and connected to the upper edges thereof by weakened lines providing frangible connecting portions, said upper edges lying in a common plane, and said three-section portion being folded downwardly and upwardly to provide a two-ply band about the upper portion of said front and end wall panels, the inner ply of said two-ply band confronting the upper portion of the front wall panel being partially cut out to provide tabs adjacent both ends of said confronting ply, the upper portion of said front wall panel being provided with openings for cooperation with said tabs, there being relatively short, separate front and end flaps projecting upwardly from said two-ply band which are folded inwardly, and an inwardly folded flap hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall panel and adhesively secured to said relatively short, inwardly folded front and end flaps to provide a hinged cover connected to the upper edges of said front and end wall panels by said frangible connecting portions, said closure being initially opened by pulling the band outwardly and upwardly with sufficient force to rupture said frangible connecting portions, said tabs and said openings arranged to cooperate to effect automatic locking of the closure upon reclosing of the carton.
 2. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs are generally rounded at their engaging ends and the cooperating openings are correspoNdingly slitted, said tabs adapted to flex inwardly under the slit edges upon reclosing of the carton.
 3. A carton as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner faces of the two-ply band are adhesively secured together except that the areas defining the tabs are free of adhesive whereby to permit said flexing.
 4. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs are generally rounded at their engaging ends and the cooperating openings are correspondingly slitted, said tabs adapted to flex inwardly under the slit edges upon reclosing of the carton, that portion of the front panel defined by said slitted openings having a scored bend line to permit inward bending thereof whereby to facilitate inward flexing of said tabs under the slit edges.
 5. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the partially cutout portions of the inner ply of said two-ply band further include integral cutouts to relieve the tension at the corners.
 6. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs are squared off at their engaging ends and the openings comprise cutouts integral with the cutout portions defining the tabs. 